Shazam #1

Shazam #1

DC Comics 2021

Written by Tim Sheridan

Illustrated by Clayton Henry

Coloured by Marcelo Maiolo

Lettered by Rob Leigh

Billy Batson came to Titans Academy looking for answers. Why was the rest of his adopted family cut off from the power of Shazam? Why are his own powers becoming increasingly unreliable? The answers send Billy on an outrageous adventure that’ll not only change him but have an immense impact on the school and other students on Titans Island.

The idea of Billy being a Titan is a good one actually considering how old he is and how his personality is the driving force behind Shazam’s adult body. Now I have never really been a huge fan of Shazam’s and I wasn’t initially going to read this but curiosity got the better of me. I found this to be highly entertaining, intriguing and with Billy at the school and classmates who well I am sure will tag along we’re going to see some sides of Shazam we’ve never seen before. So yeah I’m actually looking forward to seeing where this story arc goes and how his quest to find the Rock of Eternity plays out and if his powers can be restored properly again.

I am really enjoying the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. The character development we see through the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter continue to flesh them out as people magnificently. I love this side of Billy, the insecure afraid to face his family Billy. It just reinforces how young he really is without the wisdom of Solomon. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the story we’re so engaged and so invested in what could and will happen.

How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story emerge and grow, continue from Titans Academy as well. These avenues that are opened up and being explored as well as those newly presenting themselves contain the layers within the story and whether they work with the main arc or simply swirl around it they add depth, dimension and complexity to the story. How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved incredibly well.

The interiors here are pretty marvellous. They are pretty standard comic book style interiors but that fits with the whole vibe of the book for me. The linework is strong and I like how the varying weights are being utilised to create the detail work within the pages. That we see backgrounds utilised as we do is great, though more please I mean that hallway with the lockers is a great sensation to feeling cramped as they bump into each other. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a very talented eye for storytelling. The colour work is really extraordinary. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work are done so beautifully.

I like the idea for this series and it’s the first time I can remember being this excited over anything Shazam or Captain Marvel related. That he’s at Titans Academy and is making few friends and has the opportunity here to make a solid core group of friends is something that I am looking forward to seeing. The potential here is unlimited and it would be interesting if Brick ended up in Hell with Billy as sometimes danger creates the oddest of bedfellows and it would definitely be something to see.

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This has some strong, interesting writing with sharp characterisation and absolutely delightful interiors and it finally for me blends the two worlds of Billy’s life.